How to clear Armed Forces SSB in India?

There are a number of routes that you can take to become an officer in one of the armed forces of India, i.e. in Army, Navy or Air Force. You can enter armed forces right after 12th, or after graduation. You may become an officer in fighting divisions (infantry, pilots, etc.) or in other branches of armed forces, such as engineering, judiciary, medical, logistics, etc.

Whatever route you take, whatever branch you join, and whenever you join armed forces, if you want to become an officer, you will have to go through the SSB (Services Selection Board) round.

In this article, we will describe the various phases and tests you will probably face in a SSB round of Army, Air Force, or Navy. Thought minute details may vary a bit, based on various factors:

• Which Armed force you are planning to join. For example, physical tests are going to be much more vigorous in Army SSB, as compared to Air Force SSB.
• Which branch you are planning to join. For example, physical tests for Air Force engineers will be a bit lenient as compared to pilots, etc.
• Minute details may also vary from one SSB centre to another.

However, there are many common things across all SSBs. The overall SSB experience will be almost the same wherever you go.

My Experience

I was working as a software engineer in Noida, when a friend told me about AFCAT recruitment drive happening in Ghaziabad’s Hindan Air Force base. It was a fast-track recruitment.

I was always interested in armed forces and so I went there with a friend of mine, just to get an experience. I was not very serious about joining, nor had I prepared anything.

But I cleared the first elimination round on the first day in Ghaziabad. The selected students (around 20 out of around 1000) were called to Varanasi Airforce SSB centre. Generally, it’s a long process, but I was called to Varanasi within 8-10 days.

The first day of SSB is generally the elimination round, but in our case, this already had been conducted in Ghaziabad. So, we stayed in Varanasi for 4 days. Eventually, 7-8 candidates were selected out of around 60. I was one of them.

So, I cleared my Air Force SSB (for technical branch) in my first attempt. Later on, within next 10 days, I also cleared my medical in Delhi. All this happened in August of 2008, i.e. within one month. Merit list was released in November and my name was there too. Our joining date was in January, 2009 in Air Force Training centre, Dundigal (Andra Pradesh).

I will share tit-bits of my SSB and medical experience now and then within this article, whenever needed. Read on!

Table of Contents

• Stages in SSB
• How to prepare for SSB?

Stages in SSB

Screening day - The initial Elimination Round

Many of the candidates will be eliminated on the very first day of SSB. Now, this first day of elimination can happen in an armed cant area near your city, or you may have to go to the SSB centre.

Here, you will be given a written test and a group discussion will be held. When I appeared for this round in Ghaziabad Air Force centre, there were two eliminations done on the very first day.

Officers’ Intelligence Rating (OIR)

We were given an objective test. There were mostly aptitude questions in this test, i.e. Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. As I was preparing for MBA at that time, I found it very easy.

In case of technical branches, you may be asked some technical questions too, e.g. Physics questions.

Out of around 2000 candidates, around 100-150 people passed this stage. People who qualified it were asked to stay and participate in the next Group Discussion (GD) round.

PPDT (Picture Perception and Description Test)

A hazy picture is shown and then you are given some time to write a story on it, regarding what you think is happening in that picture. Then a GD will be held on that basis.

There were around 10-12 candidates in every GD group. Again, as I was practising GD for MBA college entrance exams, I was good in it.

Just make sure that your group discussion is smooth. I met all the candidates beforehand and told them that we will give everyone a chance to speak. We will work as a team. It worked in our favour as 3-4 candidates were selected from our group, which is pretty high.

There was a group from which no candidate was selected, as they turned their GD into a fish market, with everyone trying to talk over the other. This is not an officer like quality (OLQ). You should be confident and speak a couple of times for sure. But do not try to dominate others too much. Help those who are finding it hard to speak, or not getting a chance. What you speak is more important, then how much you speak.

Once you clear this elimination round, you will stay or called in some SSB centre, and will remain there for 4 days. Rest will be sent home.

SSB Main Round

Now, things will get serious. Most of the candidates that you will meet now, will be serious. In my Varanasi Air Force SSB centre there were around 60 candidates.

Every candidate will be given chest numbers and groups of 8-10 candidates are formed. For the rest of the days, you will be known and called only by your chest number.

You will face these rounds here, though their sequence may vary from one candidate to another.

Psychological tests

Now, on the 2nd day of SSB, you will face a variety of Psychological tests, e.g. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT).

In Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) you will be shown various slides and you will have to write what is happening there. You will also be shown a blank slide. (11 slides representing ambiguous situations and one blank slide.)

TAT will bring forward your Officer Like Qualities (OLQs). That is, it’s one of the many ways that they will use to check your OLQs. But they will check your OLQs using other methods too. If you are faking some quality, they will eventually catch you. The entire process is very scientific.

There’s also a Word Association Test (WAT). You may be given some words, e.g. cry, love, hate, etc., and you will have to frame a sentence on each one of them.

Also, there will be a Situation Reaction Test (SRT), wherein many fill-in-the-blanks, or sentence completion type of questions will be given to you. For example, you were going on a bicycle to meet your sister in another village, but your bicycle broke down. Now you will …….

You will get very little time to answer. They want to see how you think. It is not a test of your English language, but that of your personality traits.

You will need to write a Self Description (SD) too. For example, what your friends think about you, what you think about yourself, what are your strengths and weaknesses, etc.

Earlier you may have filled a Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ) too. So, information will be taken from you in various ways, and all that will be crossed-checked. If a person is lying, his answers will vary a bit in different tests and he will get caught.

Now, on 3rd and 4th day of SSB you will be given some tasks at group level too. Let’s have a look at them.

Military Planning Exercise

It’s kind of a Crisis Management Test. Here, you will be evaluated on your crisis management skills.

You will be shown a map and given some crisis situation. You will have to write what actions will you take. Then a GD will be held (with around 5-6 people), where you will have to convince others regarding your solution.

But do not be very rigid. Accept others’ points and arguments if they seem valid. In battlefield, tackling crisis and the lives of your teammates and people in general is more important than your ego.

For example, we were given this scenario:

There are 4 people in your team. Your team saw that a person got a heart attack. Also, a child told your team that railway track is damaged, and a train is about to come. Also, some dacoits are looting a nearby temple. In the map we were shown the location of temple, railway station and hospital.

How will you handle this crisis? Think for a couple of minutes, before looking at my answer.

This was my solution: I will send a soldier to go to the station as soon as possible, so that he can inform the station master. Then I will take one other soldier with me and help the sick person to get to the hospital. The hospital was near the train station. So, as soon as we drop the person in the hospital, we will rush to the station - just as a backup plan, to see that train accident is avoided at any cost. One soldier will be sent to the temple. He will not engage with the dacoits, as they are armed. He will only observe and follow them. We will join him as soon as we take care of the other crises.

Group Discussions

A couple of Group Discussions (GDs) will be held.

Physical Tests

One day of SSB is mainly dedicated to physical tests, e.g. running, crossing hurdles, rope climbing, etc. There will be Group Obstacle Race (GOR), as well as Individual Obstacle Race (IOC).

For some posts these tasks will be much stiff than others. For example, if you want to join army then these tests will gain a lot of significance. However, if you are joining logistics or engineering branch of Air Force, then physical tasks will be given less importance.

Note

When I appeared for Air Force SSB for technical posts, these tests were not held as it was the month of August, and grounds were wet because of rain. These tests may injure people, especially if the grounds are slippery and wet.

Group Tasks

Apart from physical tests, you will also have to give group tasks. Armed forces are all about teams, and they want to see how you function with other people – as a team member, and as a leader. Also, here they are looking for your out-of-the-box thinking capabilities.

There are around 9 of such tests, that fall in the following major categories:

• Your group will be divided in half and some tasks will be given. It’s called Half Group Task (HGT).
• There’s one group task where all the people participate. It’s called Progressive Group Task (PGT).
• In some group tasks people will be made leaders turn-wise. When you are a leader, you may choose 2-3 people to form your team (out of 7-8 people). It’s called Command Task (CT). As per my understanding, if other people want you to be in their team, then it sends a good signal to the observer.

My experience

In one of my group tasks, I was made the leader and I had to pass on a bucket to the other side of the arena, and then go to the other side without touching the ground. I was asked to select two team members. There was a swing on my side, and a T structure on the other side.

I had never done anything like this before, never attended any coaching, not even watched a video online. In 2008, YouTube was not that popular yet. I didn’t even know how to tie a rope, how to work with planks, etc.

But I applied my mind there and then. I just stretched and passed on the bucket to the other side, where my teammates were also stretching.

I even monkey crawled on a rope to complete my task, i.e. in order to go to the other side. I threw the rope to the other side, where my teammates tied the rope. I tied it on my side. Then I just monkey crawled.

I have always been good in sports and am very agile. So, that helped me. That was the first time in my life that I monkey crawled, and I liked it.

Though I did many mistakes too. For example, in my first attempt I forgot to pass on the bucket and just crawled across. The examiner reminded me about the bucket and asked me to do the task again.

I did technical errors while monkey crawling too. While monkey crawling, we should go head-first. But I was going leg-first. In the end, I was asking my teammates to pull my leg, That was hilarious.

In my defence, just a few days ago I was a software engineer sitting in my cubicle and coding. How the hell am supposed to know how monkey crawling is done.

Also, we should not leave behind any tool behind. But I left behind the rope. I did not know how to tie a rope in a way that it can be pulled back once the task is complete.

However, Group Testing Officer (GTO) was probably impressed with my agility, and the innovative solutions I came up with.

After my selection, one of my friend there even said that it was due to my monkey crawling that the GTO got very impressed. Ironically, my friends in school always used to call me monkey! So, that was bound to happen 😊

I was also asked to be a part of their team in Command Tasks by at least 3-4 people. So, that also sent a good message across.

Public Speaking Test (Lecturette)

Apart from GD and Interview, you will also be asked to give an extempore/lecturette. That is, you will be given a topic and asked to speak on it for 2 minutes.

Our extempore round was held during our group tasks. The examiner gave me two topics. I was supposed to choose one of them. Here, apart from your communication skills, your confidence level and officer like qualities are also judged. This can happen anytime during your GT, in the ground itself.

Interview

SSB interview is of the nature of HR interview. They will ask you many questions, such as:

• Why do you want to join armed forces?
• Your life till now, your achievements, etc.

I told them the truth – I wanted to join armed forces because I wanted to live. I like sports and want to do shooting and archery. I like everything about armed forces – the lifestyle, clean cant areas, adventures, risks, etc.

Though never try to be a hero. Don’t say that you want to save the country, and our armed forces are the best in the world, etc. They will find out what kind of a person you are through their psychological tests and other methods. No need to say. You are there to get a job. Just tell them why you are interested in that job. Though you may say that armed forces is a loyal job, well-respected in society and you like to be a part of it. But then, who doesn’t.

My Experience

Two people were sitting in my interview. One was asking a lot of questions, and the other one was relatively silent. Probably, he was a psychologist.

I was asked about my education, Why I want to leave my software job and get into Air Force. I told them that I don’t like cubicle life where I have to sit from 9 to 5. I like armed forces, because here I will also get a chance to play sports and go on adventurous expenditures. I will also probably go for my M. Tech. in some IIT, so that I can contribute more to the armed forces and do some serious research (I was appearing for technical job). All of this was true.

They were also impressed with my educational background. I did my B. Tech from HBTI, Kanpur, which is a well-known college in UP. I also did my second-year project in IIT-BHU, Varanasi. As my SSB was also being conducted in Varanasi, they knew how good a college BHU is. I also did my final year project in IIT-Kanpur. So, all this helped me a lot.

Conference Round

It’s kind of a small interview, but can be very intimidating. You will sit on one side of a room. On the other side will be around 12-15 uniformed officers sitting around a U-shaped table.

They will analyze your performance in all the tests till now, and decide whether to recommend you or not.

My experience

I was asked how my experience was till now. I said all good.

They also asked me why I want to join Air force.

Then they asked what I will do if I am not selected. I told them that I will go for an MBA. Because at that time I was preparing for MBA colleges, while working as a software engineer. They were a little shocked. I think that they assumed that I will say that I will try again. But I just told them the truth. I probably would not have tried again – SSB is a long process and I cannot take so many leaves again and again from my office.

Medical Round

Once I was selected in conference round, I was on cloud nine. Only around 7-8 people were selected. And as per some people, that was a high number.

My medical was conducted in Airforce Centre in Delhi. I had to go there for 3-4 days. They will check whole of your body – ultrasound, ECG, urine test, eye test, ear test, etc.

I am 6 feet in height and my weight at that time (in 2008) was around 70 kg. My age was 25.

I had 6/6 vision then, and still have. Colour blindness was also checked in our medical. A doctor also dropped some drops in our eyes that made our vision blurry. I don’t know the name of that test, but it dilates our eyes and makes it easier for the doctor to inspect our retina, etc.

Ear test is conducted in a sound proof room. I was asked to give ear test again. It was a scary experience. I stopped listening to songs on my headphones altogether for the next 24 hours. However, I passed the ear test too the next day. Do get your ears waxed before you go there. Though doctors there will do that for you, but it will not be a good impression.

And no, I was not asked to strip completely. For one of the tests, I had to strip to my underwear though. And definitely, there was no probing.

Note

There was a candidate in our group who have had some operation. He was eliminated in medical round earlier (medical-out). We asked him why he’s trying again. After all he will most probably get eliminated in medical round again. But he was determined to get into armed forces.

During his medical test, he was referred to Army hospital nearby. We thought that he will definitely be found medially unfit again. But he was eventually selected. So, probably your determination also counts.

Maybe in some other article, I will also share my experience of Dundigal Air Force Academy. I cleared my medical in August, 2008; merit list was released in November; and I joined Air Force Academy in January, 2009. The driver who picked us up from the railway station in an Air Force bus, told us – “Your bad times are about to start. Tighten your belts” – of course referring to the tough training ahead. Probably he was joking, or was he!

How to prepare for SSB?

Though I never prepared for SSB. But when I look back, I can say that I was preparing for all the things that they test either as a part of some other competitive exam, or due to my lifestyle.

As I was preparing for MBA exams, and was working in an American MNC company, my soft skills were above average, if not excellent. I was very good in both Maths and English, as I was practicing aptitude test series of TIME and Careel Launcher coachings for MBA exams, such as CAT, XAT, FMS, etc.

So, make sure your aptitude skills are good. Make a group of friends or relatives and try to speak English. You may join an English-speaking course that allows you to participate in Group Discussions (GD), give Mock Interviews, and give Extempore or Presentations.

Note

If you want to prepare for Aptitude exams, or improve your Aptitude skills, then you may refer to the following websites of ours:

• Website for Aptitude Preparation (In English)
• Website for Aptitude Preparation (In Hindi)

My Physics is also good. I scored the highest marks in Physics from my school in 12th class, and then even prepared for IIT-JEE in Kota (Bansal Classes). So, written examination was no big deal for me. However, if you are weak in Physics, the you may read H. C. Verma. That will be more than sufficient. Even NCERTs or ISC board Physics will be enough. Physics is required more in case of technical jobs such as AFCAT.

For current affairs reading a good newspaper will be enough. You should read an English paper, as they have better quality news and it will also improve your communication skills in English. I am not against Hindi newspapers, but they generally focus more on local news.

Also, keep in mind that most of the English newspapers have a leftist leaning. So, you may come across many articles criticizing role of Indian Armed forces. Apply your own mind, and do not take everything that people write in newspapers at face value. Many of them have their own agendas. Critically analyze everything you read. Apply your own mind. It is also a part of OLQs – an officer must have a lot of information, but he must also have the skills to know the truth amidst a ton of lies and take action accordingly.

As far as psychological tests are concerned, it’s better that you don’t prepare. I guess they will catch any artificial answers you give, because you may be contradicting yourself throughout the test. My simple strategy was to be honest. I gave the reply that came to my mind. I have always been a risk-taker, curious, hard-working and adventurous, but never a Bollywood-type over-the-top hero. I just showed them what I was. Also, you should have control over your emotions and have a lot of patience.

Can you keep calm under stressful situations?

Can you direct your anger in the right direction?

Anger is an asset. Anger and aggression shows that you have energy. But if you cannot control your aggression and let it out when you want, or suppress it, then it becomes a liability.

SSB is a long process. Even my “fast-track” AFCAT selection process was very long, spanning three cities – Ghaziabad, Varanasi and Delhi. It lasted for over 3 weeks. So, it also checks your patience in a way.

As far as physical tests and medical are concerned, that depends a lot on your lifestyle. In your 20s you should be fit. I never did any gym, and have always been thin or average. But I always like playing sports, whether indoors or outdoors. I never did running or jogging either. Just my love of sports kept me fit enough to get into armed forces. And you need not even be a very serious sports player. I never even played at school level. I was strictly a gully and local ground sportsman!

Note

Generally, Cricket is not considered a very good sport in armed forces. So, avoid mentioning it. Even if you do, do mention some other sports too. For example, I enjoyed playing football and badminton a lot, along with cricket. I mentioned that in my interview. I also played a lot of TT in college.

Playing sports also improves your personality. That will reflect in your interview and during your physicals. It will also embed in you some OLQs (Officer like Qualities).

Note

When I was in 8th class, in Allahabad, my class teacher asked all students to sing a song one by one. Most of the students sang some romantic song. I sang “Nanna Munna rahi hoon, desh ka sipahi hoon… ”.

I always had a special place in my heart for soldiers, and getting selected in Indian Air Force has been the biggest honour of my life. I have cracked many exams and have worked in over 10 jobs and organizations, ranging from finance, IT, to education. But I consider Air Force selection to be my biggest achievement.

Winding Up

Once you clear your medical round, you are almost there. But your selection is not 100% till merit list is released. That’s because people who clear SSB and medical round are just recommended for armed forces jobs. Whether those recommended candidates will eventually get a job or not will also depend on the number of vacancies.

But more often than not, people who get recommended, get the coveted job eventually. Best of luck to you. Even if you do not clear SSB, it’s a must-have experience of life. Very different from any other exam that you will give in your life.

Just enjoy the process. When I gave my SSB, I didn’t even know what tests will be taken. I knew nothing. Everything was new to me and I enjoyed the surprises. It was like an adventure, a holiday of sorts. Probably that’s why I did good.

Remember that there’s no strict formula for clearing SSB. Even people who clear it, cannot tell all the reasons why they got selected. So, just work on improving yourself in every aspect of your life, and when a test is given to you give your best. That’s the only formula of success. Do not overthink!

Note

As per my understanding, they are looking for following traits:

• A person who is above average in most of the life skills – in academics, sports, soft-skills, etc. You need not be excellent in them, but you should not be poor in any of them.
• A person who has Officer like Qualities – a person who exudes confidence, is clear in life goals, is honest, smart, convincing in what he/she says, is a good manager and has good organization abilities, etc.
• A good team player – Afterall armed forces are all about teams, brothers-in-arms. When you play cricket, ask yourself whether you play for your century or for the win of your team. You will get your answer.

Note

If you want to know about the various jobs in Armed Forces, you may read this article.